November and December are times of increased giving. So many of us are relationship and philanthropy focused. We open our homes to friends and family, and we open our wallets to nonprofits. Knowing that many choose to make financial gifts during this time, nonprofits focus on reaching out to donors through direct mail, online campaigns,
We know you want to meet your fundraising goals. We also know some readers may be anxious wondering, “how will the calendar year end? Will we be in the red or in the black come December 31st?” While we don’t have a magic wand we do want to suggest two aspects of fundraising management you
As the year comes to an end there will be family celebrations, travels, and delicious meals. In between the many activities we hope you will also have time to reflect. We hope you can let your thoughts wander over the year that is ending, and extend into the year that is to come. Open your
We trust your year-end fundraising is going well. Perhaps you gained new donors during Giving Tuesday. Maybe your fundraising appeal letter is generating increased gifts from current donors. Perhaps your long-term donors are thinking of you as they complete their charitable giving for the year. In all cases there are people to thank and a
As the year comes to an end we have the opportunity to reflect on our lives, give thanks, and plan for the coming year. We reflect on family, our relationships with friends and community, and often our work-life. With this column we offer 10 questions you can use to reflect on your role as a
Many nonprofits will see an increase in gifts from individuals over the next few weeks. Some will be from faithful annual donors. Others may respond for the first time to your year-end appeal. Still others will feel an emotional tug on their heart strings and impulsively give online. As you prepare to say thank you
Have you heard of Giving Tuesday? Thanksgiving is all about giving thanks for the blessings in our lives. Black Friday and Cyber Monday kick off the holiday shopping season. Then there’s Giving Tuesday which, as you may guess, is all about giving – this time to nonprofits. Founded in 2012, Giving Tuesday will be celebrated
As the year comes to a close many nonprofits are looking at their fundraising goals and asking an important question: should we focus on securing a large number of small gifts, or a few large ones? We believe the answer is “both.” Here are three things to consider. Securing many small gifts often takes as
An important part of launching your year-end fundraising campaign is data. It’s not sexy, but it’s true. No matter how exciting your campaign may be, the question is this: who are you talking to? We believe a nonprofit’s year-end fundraising should engage current and past supporters as well as new ones. We understand the excitement
At the end of the day Giving Tuesday is about philanthropy – a time for each of us to reflect on our abundance and share our resources with others. We can give on this one day, or we can take time to build giving into our everyday lives. We can reflect on how giving changes our relationship to ourselves and the world. We can diminish feelings of alienation and restore our feelings of connection… We are changed as we give. Often for the better.
